"Reporting to Master, Princess, Cuiling, the maid of Madam Nian, requests an audience!" Zhuier lifted the curtain and came in to report. She didn't usually come to serve Madam Song much; Madam Song had her in charge of cleaning the utensils in the room and guarding the gatehouse.

Upon hearing this, Madam Song looked at Zhui'er in surprise. How could Madam Nian's maid be able to find her while the Fourth Master was here?

Fourth Master frowned and said softly, "Let her in to talk!"

As Cuiling walked into Song's house, she noticed that Fourth Master's expression seemed unpleasant, and she became very worried. It was really not a good idea to intercept someone in Song's house like this!

"What do you want? Why aren't you saying anything?" Song said angrily when Cuiling still didn't speak.

"It's because the princess's stomach is upset, and she wants to ask a doctor to take a look. But the princess can't just go and call a doctor directly, so please ask Master to go and see the princess." Cui Ling quickly lowered her eyes and bowed her head as she spoke.

"Are you feeling unwell? Has the nanny that Mother sent arrived?" Fourth Master asked.

"They've arrived. Aunt Gu has been keeping Master company!" Cui Ling didn't dare to look up at Fourth Master again and answered with her head down.

"Aunt Gu is very experienced in that area; she can usually handle any minor problem. Besides, you should consult the concubine before calling a doctor, why did you come here directly!" the Fourth Prince roared. "Go out yourself, go to the front courtyard to collect your twenty strokes of the cane, and then go back to tell your master that you're feeling unwell and should rest. Aunt Gu is very experienced, and the doctor will also take a look. If you continue to be so disrespectful and come to me, next time it won't just be twenty strokes." The Fourth Prince said, suppressing his anger.

Cui Ling was so frightened that she immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Please calm down, Master. I was just anxious. I was afraid that something might happen to the child in your belly, so I came to find you in a hurry."

Su Peisheng walked up to Cuiling and spoke on behalf of the Fourth Master: "A maidservant, so unruly. The Master is only giving you twenty strokes of the cane because of Princess Nian. Come with me. If you keep arguing, it won't just be twenty strokes."

Knowing she couldn't escape, Cui Ling could only tremble as she got up from the ground and let Su Peisheng lead her out.

Watching Cuiling's retreating figure, Madam Song felt pleased. The fact that Fourth Master didn't follow Cuiling in front of her was a sign of respect.

"Your Majesty, this is your favorite tea. After a busy day in the palace, have some tea to refresh yourself," said Madam Song.

Fourth Master nodded, stayed at Madam Song's place for half an hour, and then went with Madam Song to see Hongshi a few more times before leaving the North Courtyard.

Meanwhile, Su Peisheng, after punishing Cui Ling, sent someone to invite Doctor Lin and Nian Shi.

When Madam Nian saw that it wasn't Fourth Master who arrived, but Doctor Lin, and that Cui Ling had been helped back by a servant from the front yard, it was because Fourth Master had pressed her down on a bench and spanked her.

Madam Nian couldn't lose her temper in front of Aunt Gu and Doctor Lin, so she had to suppress her anger and take Doctor Lin's pulse.

After examining Nian for a long time, Dr. Lin couldn't figure out what was wrong with her at all. He could only say a few innocuous words and then left. He prescribed two doses of blood-tonifying and mind-nourishing medicine and then left as well.

Aunt Gu has been in the palace for over a decade. She was initially stunned by Lady Nian's outburst, but now she's starting to understand. This Lady Nian is using her pregnancy to seduce the Fourth Prince into coming to see her.

Aunt Gu had seen enough of these kinds of petty tricks for vying for favor in the palace. She didn't expect to see them again on her very first day in the Fourth Prince's residence. Consort Niu was a clever woman and didn't want to cause trouble, so she asked Consort De to send her instead. Lady Nian seemed intelligent, but she had a fiery temper and a bad temper, making her really unlikable.

Lady Nian slumped in her chair, feeling utterly lost. She hadn't expected that not only would the Fourth Prince not come, but he would also beat her maid. This was a direct slap in the face. Clearly, the Fourth Prince cared about her and the child in her womb, so why wouldn't he come over more often, and even punish her maid in front of a disgraced old woman like Lady Song?

"Princess, why don't I help you go for a walk? Getting some fresh air will help ease your troubled mind," Aunt Gu said, suppressing her disdain as she looked at Madam Nian's dejected expression. She knew perfectly well why Madam Nian was there. Therefore, she needed to make things clear. Otherwise, it would be a dereliction of duty on her part.

Upon hearing this, Lady Nian was so angry she almost overturned the teacup on the table, but she forced herself to suppress her anger and said, "No, this princess is tired. This princess is going to sleep."

Seeing that she said this, Aunt Gu quickly said, "Since you are sleepy, then I will help you rest."

Seeing that Aunt Gu genuinely cared about Madam Nian, Bai Zhi pulled her aside and said, "Please be lenient, Aunt Gu. The princess's temper has become so irritable since she became pregnant. She used to be a very good person."

Aunt Gu was a shrewd person, so she naturally understood what Bai Zhi meant by saying that she didn't want to speak ill of Nian Shi to Consort De.

"I'm here to serve Princess Nian. There's no question of taking on any responsibility. My mission is complete as long as Princess Nian gives birth to the Fourth Prince's child safely and peacefully," said Aunt Gu. "Then I'll go pack my things. You can look after things here, Miss."

Bai Zhi's heart stirred, knowing that this Aunt Gu was not so easily fooled; she had seen through Nian Shi's behavior after only one day of arrival.

“Aunt, please be understanding. The princess wasn’t like this before; it’s just that she’s become more delicate since becoming pregnant. We servants will try to comfort her,” Bai Zhi said.

Aunt Gu smiled and said, "Don't worry. I'm here to take care of Princess Nian's pregnancy, and I won't forget that. But if Princess Nian insists on her own way and refuses to listen to advice, then even with my experience, I'm afraid I won't be able to protect the baby in Princess Nian's womb."

Bai Zhi's heart tightened, and she quickly said, "Aunt, we will all try to persuade the princess. Please be understanding, Aunt Gu."

Aunt Gu naturally understood that Bai Zhi hoped she wouldn't complain about Nian Shi to Consort De. She smiled and said, "Miss, you're overthinking it. I can only go back to speak to Her Majesty after Consort Nian has safely given birth to the Fourth Prince's child. Before that, I won't say anything."

"Thank you, Aunt. Please go and rest for a while," Bai Zhi said.

Meanwhile, the Fourth Prince still went to the South Courtyard, and Lanqin also learned about the incident where Lady Nian intercepted people halfway. The Fourth Prince didn't mention it, and neither did Lanqin. Instead, they talked to the Fourth Prince about preparing a house for the Third Prince.

Just before going to bed, Lanqin asked, "Master, Princess Nian is pregnant. Aren't you really going to go and see her?"

Fourth Master grabbed Lanqin's waist and pinched it hard, saying, "I can decide where I want to go!"